You know that blissful feeling of discovering a blog, and instantly falling in love? You scroll through the archives, take in all the content you can, learn as much as possible about the blogger and catch up on all the exciting content you’ve been missing out on. Naturally, you follow them on Twitter and Instagram, like their site on Facebook and subscribe to them via your blog reader of choice. Their site is the first one you check in the morning…and when you see a new post has been published, you feel your heart skip a beat.

I briefly mentioned Helena in Tuesday’s post about how a trip to Brooklyn inspired me to make some life changes. A highlight of my weekend in NYC was taking in all the effortlessly edgy street fashion. The minute I returned to ‘Sota I found myself Googling “Brooklyn Style Blog” so I might continue to gaze longingly at trendy fashion eye candy straight out of my favorite borough. Helena’s blog ended up being the top search result.

The past three days have been a giant blur of obsessively devouring the Brooklyn Blonde archives, creating an inventory of what items I need to add to my wardrobe, and browsing ShopBop.com while asking myself “What would Helena buy?” I may have even attempted to purchase duplicates of a few of the items (cough! cough! military jacket! cough!) Helena features on her site.

And then I realized the ‘ish she wears is expensive.

Real expensive.

Fortunately, Helena also shares the different types of makeup she wears, which are much more conducive to my Minnesota budget. While I can’t afford her adorable Chanel bag or classic black Louboutins, possessing every single shade of lipstick she wears is surely the next best thing, right?

This is the reasoning that led me to purchase five new tubes of lip color this week.

Yup. Five.

That’s not creepy, right?

Alright…maybe these side-by-side photos I’m about to show are a little bit creepy. Helena…if you’re reading this, please rest assured that I am not some crazy stalker. I’m simply a makeup-loving, fashion-forward female who appreciates good style and adores your lips.

I’m a sucker for a statement lip, and this color from MAC did not disappoint. The only downside? It kind of makes my teeth look yellow. Looks like it’s time for a secret rendezvous with my Crest White Strips!

I made the mistake of forgetting to wash this stuff off before Turbo Kick class last night. While it looks fabulous with a stylish outfit, pairing it with workout clothes and a messy ponytail looks a little…well…1980scray cray. (Lesson learned the hard way.)

This one might be my absolute favorite. It’s a red with just a pinch of yellow/orange undertones, which makes it perfect for day time. Bonus points for making my teeth look somewhat white-ish! It’s my new go-to shade, and I’m currently working up the balls to wear it on during a video conference tomorrow.

I’ve got to say — for a cheap drugstore brand, this stuff stays put for hours. It’s a little bit dry, but if you pair it with some gloss or chapstick, application is much easier. I’m really loving the orangey-coral shade as a fun alternative to neutral lips.

This red is slightly darker/more blue-toned than Ruby Woo, and is perfect for evenings out. Again, it’s a super flattering shade, and makes those pearly whites look like they are fresh out of the bleaching tray. Hesitant to drop fifteen bones on a tube of lipstick? So was I…but Brooklyn Blonde has made me a believer! This stuff goes on so smoothly, lasts for hours, and requires zero lip liner. Trust me — you’ll be addicted after one application.

So…this one isn’t an official Brooklyn Blonde color, but while I was haphazardly adding tubes of Mac lipstick to my cart, this one kept coming up as a recommended item. The color had nearly 300 5-star reviews, and I figured if I was already spending over fifty bucks on lip color, what harm could just one extra tube possibly cause? I’m so delighted I decided to go for it. It’s a beautiful neutral color that is perfect for the days where you simply don’t feel like having people stare at your Technicolor lips and wonder if you’re mentally stable.

Because I’m currently saturating my pucker with lots of pigment, I figured it was time to take it easy on the peepers and save my signature smokey eyes for days when I go with a more subdued lip color. Consequentially, I’ve only been wearing mascara. And ladies, have I found a mascara for you! While shopping at Nordy’s a few months ago, I was given a sample of Chanel mascara that basically changed my life. Alright…’changed my life’ may be a bit of an exaggeration, but trust me, the stuff is nothing short of miraculous. I recently ordered a full-size tube and couldn’t be happier with my investment. While I never imagined spending thirty dollarss on something as accessible as mascara, I also never thought I’d own anything by Chanel. Needless to say, my lashes feel quite fancy and have been blinking with a little extra ‘tude now that they’re coated in designer cosmetics.

So, there you have it. I’m officially coming clean as a lipstick stalker. I swear I’m not dangerous or cause for alarm. I’m simply a lost soul of the internet who allows my blog crushes to manifest in online cosmetic shopping sprees.

4 Comments

And I felt the same way when I found your blog! The devouring of archives and following on social media, except I probably won’t be tempted to redecorate a mannequin anytime soon. I’ll just live vicariously through you.

Love bold lips, except I’ve only gained the confidence to wear a bright pink lip, not red (yet!). If you’re obssesed with make up, I highly suggest http://www.maskcara.com great website, great tutorials, and great reviews on cheaper drug store brands. You’ll be obsessed, I promise.

I like’em all, but I think the coral one is my fave. A good red that I swear by and looks amazing on everyone is MAC’s Lady Danger. It’s a bright orange-y red. I’m not kidding when I say it looks great on everyone! My super-pasty friend, my super-tan friend, and my Albanian gypsy friend all look great in it!

Love the coral one as well! I wish I had enough guts to wear a red. I recently bought a lip stain (heehee, super cheap-o NYC brand) but I really like it! Stays on for hours and isn’t sticky or anything. It works really well for low-maintance me (read: lazy). Also, wanted to share with you *my* new blog crush: Emerald! Her blog is Sunday Crossbow http://sundaycrossbow.blogspot.com/ and in true obsessive blog stalker fashion, already got a new haircut to match hers. ;o) So… no, buying lipstick to match is totally normal.